Action aplenty on softball diamonds

ELAINE KARSTEN

Last updated 05:00 12/12/2012

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Three Premier games were completed on the diamonds at Surrey Park on Saturday, with Demons Red beating Craftys United 13-6, Black Panthers coming out ahead of ILT Dodgers Brewers 6-3, and ILT Dodgers Eagles winning 15-8 against Blues.

In the absence of the top pitcher-and-catcher combination of Daniel Perry and Mat Telfer, Demons Red's stand-in combination of Tim Campbell pitching and Daniel Karsten catching made a clear statement that they are up to anything thrown at them.

United started off well at the top of the first innings, with Michael Tiplady and Jake Hansen both belting three-base hits and crossing home plate.

Jonathan Campbell replied for Demons in the bottom of the innings, hitting the ball hard through left field for a home run. Scott Sinclair, William and Tim Campbell also hit safely to score, taking the score out to 4-2. With United not scoring in the second, Sinclair hit safely again for Demons, racing home on a wild pitch. Demons kept up the pressure in the third, with four hits in a row to Tim Campbell, Karsten, Issac Thurlow and Dean Allen respectively, adding another four runs to the total. When Tim Campbell was walked in at the bottom of the fourth innings, Karsten stepped up to the plate and added another home run.

United had their best innings of the game in the top of the fifth, with hits to Shaye Gentle, Hansen, Aaron Wakelin and Kris Milne combining to add four runs to their total. When Sinclair raced to base after a dropped third strike, William Campbell followed with a hit for Demons. Both runners scored to complete the game.

With three hits apiece in the Panthers v Brewers game, Brewers were in front, 3-1, after two innings. Jason Milne had scored for Panthers in the second, with Darren Flowers, Dennis Ormsby and Robert Finlay crossing home plate for Brewers in the bottom of the innings.

After Wade McSoriley and Wade Griffen were walked to base for Panthers in the top of the second, both runners scored on a fielders choice and a sacrifice hit from Daryl Greig. Michael Cade was walked to base in the top of the fourth, McSoriley was hit by a pitched ball, and Griffen came up with another hit. Max Moyles finished the batting for Panthers with a double to centre field.

While Dodgers Eagles came out ahead of Blues in the third Premier game, Blues could have made the score much closer if the error count of 10 had been avoided. The batting contest was close, being 9-8 to the Eagles.

On the Premier 2 diamond, Wallacetown Green were too strong for Panthers Angels, winning 18-3. Wallacetown's pitcher, Ryan Fallows, was in top form with the bat, going four from four, followed by Andrew Stark and Jonathon Mitchell (3), and Bevan Tait (2), and Daniel Keen and Melanie Smith (1) batted for Panthers.

The second game in this grade was much closer, with Panthers Wildcats winning 6-5 over Demons.